An Informed Career

The U.S. government, through the Department of Energy (DOE), hosted the biannual Solar Decathlon in October 2009. 20 teams competed in 10 contests to determine which team designed, constructed, and operated the most attractive, energy-efficient solar-powered house.

As you graduate and embark on your job search, you may assume that your interview experiences will be similar, but in reality your meetings with prospective employers might be drastically different. They can range from one-on-one conversations with recruiters at career fairs to sit-down meetings with human resources coordinators to informal informational interviews to group meetings. And that's not even the full range of possibilities! So how will you prepare for them all?

Write your way to the top during the job search. Practical advice on cover letters, thank-you letter, letters of recommendation, list of references, job search emails, and letters of acceptance and decline.

For years women working in high-tech have had to fight misconceptions and stereotypes based on their gender. Although today's atmosphere has improved, high-tech women still find themselves fighting for their rights.

Systems engineering is like putting together a puzzle, matching varied pieces together to make one cohesive whole. Engineers in this field interact with others in a variety of disciplines, depending on their particular industry, and strive to ensure that the individual parts can work together to perform a desired function.

Responsibility is the name of the game in project engineering, and it can come in many forms. From directing a team of individuals and keeping track of a project's status to evaluating economic factors for future jobs, project engineers have a hand in many aspects of development and post-production support.

Project engineering involves planning the work; organizing a team to bring the task to fruition; controlling each of the steps along the way, solving problems; and ultimately, being responsible for final results

Nuclear science is a variable field, with applications ranging from power generation to medical diagnosis and treatment. While many people may think of nuclear weapons or reactors when they think of this field, nuclear engineers deal with issues and applications that go far beyond the stereotypes.

Since the days of Henry David Thoreau, environmentalism has been a noble field, exalting the land and water that our society too casually pollutes and disregards. Engineers who enter the environmental field can expect a work day that brings them in close contact with the earth—taking soil samples and testing air quality are two common assignments.

And why should you care? Architecture, engineering, & construction firms are incorporating extranets at an alarming rate. Every graduating civil engineer should be familar with their impact on the workplace.

As the world continues to grow more computer-dependent, programmers occupy an increasingly important position, ensuring that functions and applications keep up with the changing needs of industry and individuals.

The job market for computer science graduates moves so quickly that by the time anything is said about it, something new pops up to change the dynamics of the industry. However, two words will remain standard for some time to come—booming and profitable.

Imagine having a job where you never have to drive to the office. Or think about what it would be like to work for a company where your closest colleague is in the next state. Such work situations are becoming commonplace as the virtual office becomes a vital part of many of today's corporations.